Piano-forte action



(No Model.)

S. P. BROOKS.

PIANO FORTE ACTION.

No. 439,633. Patented N0v.4.1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN P. BROOKS, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PIANO-FORTE ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,633, dated November4, 1890. Application filed February 20, 1888- Serial No. 264,696- (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom, it fil/(by concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN P. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Somerville, in the count-y of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Piano-ForteActions, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists, first, in the peculiar construction andarrangement of an inclependent back-catch in which the fly when the keyis depressed passes into a slot in the rocker upon the key-lever andholds the hammer at any desired distance from the string and causes itto repeat against the string at the slightest motion of the key-lever;second, the hammer is held from repeating against the string by a leverextending from the fly; third, the lever extending from the fly causesit to return upon the butt instead of a spring when the key returns toits normal position; fourth, the standard in the rocker in the rear ofthe fly extends up near the flange-joint of the fly, and the flyextending downward to the butt makes a double leverage to relieve thehammer the instant it strikes the string.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention,I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1represents a side view of a pianoaction in its normal position embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 shows a similar view with the key depressed.

A represents the key-frame, to which the key-lever B is attached in theusual manner. Near the end of the key-lever B is attached the rocker O.The fly D is pivoted by a flanged joint (1 to the lever E, and the endof he fly D works in a slot F in the rocker C.

-G is a lever attached to the fly D, which holds the hammer in positionwhen the key is depressed and causes the fly D to return on the butt IIwhen the key returns.

I is a rail, to the top of which is secured the block J, in which thelever E is pivoted, and to which the hammer K is attached by a stem R.

L is the hammer-rail, upon which is a cushion Z, on which the hammerrests when the key is in position of rest, as in Fig. 1, and as thekey-lever B is depressed it brings the hammer against the string M, asrequired.

N is astop-button attached to a regulatingscrew 0, which passes throughthe fly D. This stop when the hammer is raised presses against thestandard P upon the rocker C and causes the lower end of the fly D topass into the slot F in the rocker (J, and relieves the hammer from thestring. By means of this device the hammer is held near the string M, sothat a rapid repetition of a note can be easily effected by a veryslight motion of the key-lever B, which is not the case when theordinary back-catch is employed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The lever E and fly-lifter D,in combination with the lever G androcker 0, provided with a slot F and butt H as a back-catch to hold thehammer after the blow is given, substantially as described.

2. The lever G, in combination with the flylifter D, for returning thelatter upon the butt II without the employment of a spring,substantially as described.

3. The key-leverB, rocker 0, provided with slot F, butt II, and standardP, in combination with the rail 1, block J, lever E, stem R, hammer K,fly-lifter D, and lever G, operating substantially in the manner and forthe purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN I. BROOKS.

Tfitnesses:

L. W. HowEs, E. PLANTA.

